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Several children also killed in Anaj mandi fire, says NGO in plea to HC
New Delhi: The Delhi high court Thursday sought the response of the Centre and the Delhi government on a plea by an NGO that alleged that several minors had died
New Delhi: The Delhi high court Thursday sought the response of the Centre and the Delhi government on a plea by an NGO that alleged that several minors had died in the fire at an illegal factory in Anaj Mandi on December 8. The plea claimed that several children were employed as child labour in the illegal factory.
A bench of chief justice DN Patel and justice C Hari Shankar issued notices to the Centre, the Delhi government, police and the Bihar government seeking their stand on the plea by NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA).
In its plea, filed through advocate Prabhsahay Kaur, the NGO contended that several minors were there among the people who have been reported dead, as well as those who have been reported missing.
Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate HS Phoolka, said “a gross case of child labour is underway at the part of the state authorities (sic)”.
He said representatives of the NGO visited the Lok Nayak hospital and interacted with relatives of some of the children as well as the child victims of the fire who were admitted to the hospital.
Phoolka said these children and their relatives have stated that they worked at these factories and sustained injuries in the fire.
“It is apparent to the petitioner (NGO) from these conversations that there were a number of child labourers in the factories at the building where the fire broke out,” the plea read.
The PIL also said the NGO’s representative, during a visit to the hospital, found some very questionable persons with special interest in the children rescued from the Anaj Mandi fire. The plea said these were possibly middleman and traffickers who had brought the children from their native villages to Delhi to put them to work.
The plea has sought FIRs into the death of children and police protection to the injured children now admitted to the hospital.
